The other morning, eager for something tasty to nibble on, I dedicated myself exclusively to cooking and, as a good dessert lover, I prepared some tasty treats that I had long dreamed of making: crunchy hazelnut meringues. Unfortunately, the first time, many years ago, I didn’t have a good result, quite the opposite, but this time I was definitely fascinated by these pretty little cakes. The fact is that I had 4 egg yolks left over from that time and I couldn’t just throw them away.

However, I was a bit tired of the usual simple zabaglione, and was aiming for something more sophisticated, or simply something new. Flipping through the crumpled pages of an old cookbook, I came across a recipe that intrigued me quite a bit but which, in my opinion, had something missing. I then set to work and, after a short time, came up with this coffee custard recipe, which the book described as ‘English’. Just sweet enough, energetic and refreshing, this spoon dessert is definitely worth trying. I wasn’t too sure about it while it was still warm, but once it has cooled in the fridge, believe me it is something sensational. Accompanied by a few pieces of chocolate it is, in my opinion, even more perfect!

How much do you know about coffee?

Coffee is a drink that is popular all over the world, but especially in my country: Italians, in fact, are very strong coffee drinkers. Produced from a plant of African origin, it is cultivated on a large scale in all tropical countries where it finds the most suitable climate for its development.

In its natural state, coffee takes the form of oval, greenish-yellow beans. These washed, dried and roasted seeds are then transformed into the well-known,
very shiny brown beans. The quality of good coffee depends above all on how well it is roasted: if it is roasted for too long, the coffee becomes bitter, and if it is too short or insufficient, the beans do not release their full aroma.

Coffee contains caffeine in a proportion of between 10 and 20 centigrams per cup of drink. This stimulating substance has a beneficial effect on the brain, nerves and blood circulation, provided it is present in moderate doses. In the long term, too much caffeine can lead to heart and nervous system problems and insomnia.

Among the most valuable types of coffee are Moka, Haiti, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, all of which indicate their place of origin. As far as buying coffee is concerned, it is advisable to opt for vacuum packs, which keep the aroma unaltered. In fact, when coffee comes into contact with the air, it becomes rancid as the oil contained in it goes bad. It is therefore advisable to store it in hermetically sealed jars. Although today it is customary, more for convenience than anything else, to use ground coffee, the ideal way to enjoy a “super” coffee would be to grind it when it is brewed.

Therefore, simply removing the skin before or after cooking is enough to obtain a light, salty food that is recommended for a low-calorie diet. The highest caloric intake is in the leg, while the breast, which is low in cholesterol, is recommended for everyone’s diet, especially young people, the elderly and those with high cholesterol levels.